


Day By Day

by cadkitten



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bromance, Bromance to Romance, Desperation, Fluff, Frottage, Hand Jobs, M/M, Romance, Science Bros, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-28
Updated: 2013-09-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 20:11:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cadkitten/pseuds/cadkitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony and Bruce have always had a connection with one another, a certain easy way of working side-by-side that nothing could come between. Even as things change and grow between them, it's still just as easy as it ever was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day By Day

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: abby  
> Beta Readers: Leo  
> Song[s]: Various songs by Poets of the Fall

Tony had spent the last week in his laboratory, working on a way to improve upon the hit ratio for his suit. The last battle had nearly done him in and he knew he needed to be able to hold up more with the way villains seemed to be increasing in power as time went on. Today had been particularly rough until Bruce had shown up. The other had turned up out of nowhere. Tony hadn't seen him in weeks, but now, here he was, standing next to him, helping him sort out the issues and occasionally giving Tony the test subject he needed to see if the suit would stand up to such abuse.

For hours, they worked side-by-side, the occasional light banter occurring as it always did when Tony and Bruce were in the same room. They shared Tony's stash of banana chips and Bruce endured the random things Tony did to try to set him off. At first it was a pen and then it was his finger digging into Bruce's ribs. As the minutes dragged on, it became more and more blatant. Tony jabbed and poked, scratched and 'accidentally' dropped many a thing. Finally, Bruce decided to take matters into his own hands, scare Tony for once and see how he liked it.

Grasping Tony's wrist, he turned them both and slammed Tony back against the table, shoving his body against him as a means of holding him in place. One hand kept firm hold of the man's wrist, the other grabbing his hair and yanking his head back. His eyes burned bright, and for an instant, he saw the fear cross Tony's features, just a single second and then it was gone, replaced by that confident smirk.

Bruce held him there for a moment, feeling the shudder that went through Tony's body as the other man closed his eyes. The proximity and the fact that Tony wasn't struggling at all set something off inside Bruce and for an instant, he felt that thrill he hadn't felt in many, many years. Slowly, he relaxed his grip on Tony's arm and the other raised his head again, staring deep into Bruce's eyes. For a moment, they were perfectly still, not a single movement, and then, Bruce started to step back.

"Don't," Tony issued, looking a bit shocked he'd spoken, but then covering it with his normal confidence. "You feel it, don't you?"

Something shifted in the room in that second and Bruce knew that everything he'd ever suspected was more than just a dream. Everything that he'd imagined could be a reality. His hips pressed back to Tony's own and he leaned in without a second thought, capturing the taller man's lips with his own. 

Tony responded without hesitation, his free hand reaching to grasp onto Bruce's upper arm, holding on tight as he threw himself headfirst into the kiss. 

For the longest time, they remained like that, tasting one another, their hands wandering one another's bodies. At long last, Bruce pulled back, feeling his control fading and fearing the worst. When Tony opened his mouth to protest, Bruce simply held up his hand, shaking his head, heading into the unbreakable testing unit they'd built for him to test out various things or to protect him and others when he felt like he was going to lose control. Stepping inside, the unit sealed behind him, Jarvis activating all the life support systems as he sank onto the small protrusion from the wall that served as his bed if he needed to stay for longer than predicted. Hunching over, he moved one hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, shaking his head a little bit.

Tony watched him go, a sad look on his face, something he didn't bother to wipe away in any manner. It was depressing to watch the other like this, to know he wanted something more and couldn't have it; to understand all too suddenly why Bruce always shied away from talking about sexual conquests with all the others. Because no matter how much he'd tried, how many times he'd been in a relationship, it all fell apart right here. And suddenly, Tony understood the pain that was always beneath every other emotion Bruce ever had, the anguished looks at certain times, and why he removed himself from the area whenever things got a little too racy... discussion or programming on whatever someone was watching. He wasn't a prude; he just couldn't control himself when his sexuality got in the way.

With a soft sigh, Tony moved back to their previous project, consulting Jarvis along the way, asking for help where he needed it, and basically allowing Bruce his own time and his own space without much more than a glance once in a while to ensure he was still remotely okay. By the time the other came back out and started helping, it was nearing midnight.

For a while, they worked in silence until, finally, Bruce spoke up. "I'd like to apologize."

Tony shook his head, screwing on a final bolt. "Please, don't." He put down the wrench and leaned back on the counter, studying Bruce for a long few moments. "I don't want apologizes for what happened. It was mutual."

"That's not what I'm apologizing for." Bruce offered him an awkward half smile. "For the near miss, is all I'm saying."

Something like relief trickled through Tony and he slid his hand over Bruce's arm, giving him a brief squeeze of his wrist. "Apologies still not needed. Hulk is a part of you and if you think I don't know that, then you must think me stupid." He let out a scoff. "And we both know I'm not."

Bruce couldn't help the smile on his face. "You're always trying to tease me into it and for once... I think you found my trigger, Stark."

Tony took his chances, sliding behind Bruce and reaching around, running his fingertips lightly over Bruce's crotch. He grasped him and squeezed for a moment. "Let's not leave any of this to implication, shall we? I want you and what Tony wants... he gets." With that, he let him go and headed for the door. "I think it's time we took a break for the night."

Bruce followed without hesitation, simply asking Jarvis to log the work for the night and then making his way out the door and up the stairs. Once they reached the foyer, Tony headed straight for the elevators, obviously true to his word about breaking for the entire night. Hesitation entered the equation there. He'd managed his control earlier, but if he followed Tony, he wasn't sure how that would end up. Awkwardly, Bruce shifted from one foot to the other and then finally, headed for the lobby, picking up his bag and simply slipping out into the night air. He wanted it... he wanted Tony. But the risk was far more than he was willing to take. To destroy Tony without even realizing it until it was too late... to rip his best friend and near soul mate apart in the throes of passion was not something he ever wanted to experience.

***

The days trudged forward, time ever advancing, Bruce eventually finding himself back at Tony's place again. The other was asleep, but he'd long ago been privy to the codes to get into Tony's home. He knew every alarm system and every passcode, even those that Pepper didn't know. He made his way down to Tony's work room and scanned himself in, consulting with Jarvis on where Tony had been in development. Finding it was at the testing phase, he made sure Jarvis had the specs and then took it into the special room, setting the piece of suit down and stripping off his clothing so he didn't ruin it. "Video, Jarvis." With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and allowed Hulk to take over, instantly zeroing in on the piece of armor and going to town on it. It took the first twenty or so hits before finally crumpling in on itself, meaning it would effectively crush the wearer if they became incapacitated. At least they were closer to something, though maybe not as close as would have been desired. Stepping away, he pressed back against the cold wall and closed his eyes, waiting, trying to force himself back under control.

It took longer than usual, his time as Hulk smaller than the norm, and he felt something like relief once he was back to his human form. Picking up his clothing, he pulled it back on and then picked up the armor piece, bringing it back out and placing it on the counter. "Analysis, Jarvis." The computer obeyed, quickly starting to run the various scans that were needed as Bruce pulled up the necessary programs and began to do a bit of tweaking just from what he knew from his own pummeling of the object. 

He worked for a few more hours, developing the next prototype before he heard the door at the top of the stairs open and Tony's feet and legs appeared as he came down the stairs. Upon entering the room, Tony gave him a surprised look and then glanced at the twisted hunk of metal. "Not enough yet?"

Bruce shook his head. "Not quite. Took nineteen hits before it crumpled though. We're getting there."

Tony nodded, moving in beside him and quietly going over the work Bruce had done, making a few tweaks here and there. It was why they made the perfect team for this. They thought mostly the same way, but just enough different to pull the other's errors and correct them. Together, things went at least ten times faster than they ever would have without one another. Within an hour, Tony was caught up and they were once again, working side-by-side, bouncing ideas off one another and taking pieces of their discussions, slapping them into design.

Hours passed by without either of them so much as noticing. When at long last, they set Jarvis and the others to creating the prototype of what they'd designed, Tony pulled himself up onto the counter and gestured Bruce over to him. He spread his legs and tugged the other between them, holding onto fistfuls of his shirt. There were no words exchanged, there simply wasn't a need. Bruce simply leaned in and claimed Tony's lips with his own, the kiss coming easily to both of them. Even when Tony hooked one leg behind Bruce's knee to hold him there, it changed nothing.

Bruce shifted closer, spearing one hand into Tony's hair and tilting his head back as he started to lick his way down his throat. Pulling back up, he nipped the underside of Tony's jaw before fitting his mouth to his once again, dipping his tongue in to taste him more fully.

The pair remained like that for a long time, Bruce even going so far as to actually pull Tony forward on the table, pressing them tightly against one another, his hips slowly rocking against Tony's own. Their arousal rose steadily, the atmosphere heating up around them. Nothing seemed out of place with any of it. Not a single bit was forced or even strange. It all came just as naturally as working with one another had. 

And, this time, when Bruce took a few steps backward, he simply held up his finger and shook his head. He didn't retreat to his safety zone, but the look on his face made it clear there was no room for fussing around.

Tony slid from the table and stepped past Bruce, heading toward the door. "Coffee, tea... something stronger?" He paused there, watching Bruce as the other hunched over an empty table, his fingers tight on the edge of it.

"Stronger."

"Got it." Tony left the room, making his way up the stairs and into the kitchen. He took his sweet time, putting together a couple of Ginger and Bourbons, adding a splash of orange juice to both. Stirring them, he washed the stirrer off and put it back in the container, standing there for a few minutes, simply sipping his own drink. He knew Bruce would come to him when he was ready, when he felt like he was under his own control again. Until then, he wouldn't disturb the other. 

By the time Bruce came up the stairs, Tony was on his second drink, once again sitting on the counter and taking little sips of the drink just to pass the time.

Bruce moved to him, easily slipping between his legs again and reaching for his drink, picking it up and taking a sip. He gave Tony an appreciative nod and then downed half of it in one go, putting the glass back on the counter, his fingers rubbing lightly at Tony's thighs. Reaching up, he ran his thumb over Tony's lower lip and then gave him a little shake of his head. "How long are you going to tolerate me?"

Tony frowned at the question, pointing one finger at Bruce from around his glass as he took a sip the moment Bruce's finger retreated. Swallowing, he offered, "I don't tolerate you. We work together with ease and even this," he gestured between them, "is coming naturally. I'm not going to question it and I'm not going to debate on what _could_ be." He shrugged and looked up toward the ceiling for a moment. "At the risk of sounding really cliché... you're the one who pulled me from my own hell, Bruce. You didn't even have to try. Just being around was enough. Whatever this is, whatever is developing between us... I'm letting it go where it goes."

"And in the meantime? When I'm not around?" Bruce didn't mean to sound remotely bitter, but he knew Tony's track record and he knew his usual forays into things of a sexual nature well enough to understand he was eventually going to frustrate Tony to no end.

Tony drained the rest of his glass, set it down, and pressed Bruce's glass back into his hand. "I've changed a lot in this past year. You've watched it. And if you're talking about my desires... I have my own methods that don't involve other people."

Bruce studied him for a second before nodding and finishing off his glass. "Then we'll work on it. Stage by stage, day by day." He placed the tumbler back down on the counter and slid his hand up Tony's thigh, sliding his thumb over the other's still slightly prominent arousal. Tony arched into it and Bruce smirked, taking a step back and then making his way around the counter, heading back down to the work room without another word.

***

The next time they found themselves in one another's arms it was post battle. Tony had been limping and Bruce had driven his car back home for him, the banged up suit in the back seat. It was just a twisted ankle, nothing big in the grand scheme of things, but it made shifting the car between gears very difficult.

Once they got back to Tony's home, Bruce had taken the suit inside for him, put Jarvis to work on patching it up, and then came back upstairs to help Tony from the entryway to his bedroom. Tony didn't even hesitate, simply starting to remove his clothing, tossing piece after piece into the hamper and dumping the contents of his pocket onto the dresser before he stood before Bruce in only his boxers. "Join me? The shower is huge." The way Tony looked at him left little room for argument. "We both stink." And that was just the blatant truth. Fights never left either of them smelling very good.

With a sigh, Bruce gave in, removing his shirt and then his super stretchy pants he tended to keep on whenever there was a huge chance he'd be going into a fight. It was easier than ruining more clothing in the end. Once he was naked, he followed Tony into the bathroom, taking in the master suite shower with a low whistle. "How much did this set you back?"

"Let's not discuss that," Tony returned, stepping into the enclosure and turning on the lights and water from a panel on the wall. The shower started up, the entire top panel in the wall starting to rain down on them. The lights alternated between a soft gold and a warm red, occasionally sliding to green and then back again. The softest sound of the rainforest swelled up around them as the water came down harder. Tony reached for his soap, starting to lather up a washcloth. "Use whatever you'd like." The scent that Bruce had already come to identify as Tony hit him like a ton of bricks as the other began to wash. The scent that marketing identified as summer's rain and fresh linen filled the air and Bruce couldn't help but watch, his gaze taking in every single aspect of the other man. 

Once Tony was done with the soap, he offered it to Bruce, a knowing little smirk on his face. Not a single word was spoken; it seemed so unnecessary given how obvious everything was to him. And even as he lathered up his hair, he returned the favor, watching as Bruce began to wash off his own body, feeling the stirrings of arousal as he watched him clean the more intimate of areas, watched the slight growth of the other's cock from the simple stimulation.

But he didn't make a single advance on him. Rather, he took the opportunity to memorize every single angle of the other's body, every unique scar and every single thing that defined Bruce as Bruce. Slicking his hair back from his face, he tilted it up and washed one last time before stepping out of the shower and grasping a towel, leaving Bruce behind to wash his hair. If he stayed much longer, he'd want more than he was welcome to have, and that was only the simple truth.

Stepping into the bedroom, Tony applied his deodorant and combed his hair, pulling on a clean pair of boxers and laying out another for Bruce. He gathered their clothing and took it down the hallway, putting it in the washer, and then coming back and sprawling out on the bed.

A few minutes later, Bruce slipped into the bedroom and glanced around. "My clothes?"

"In the washer." Tony reached and picked up the boxers, holding them up. "They'll fit. Trust me."

Bruce came to the edge of the bed and grasped the cloth from Tony's fingers, a little huff of a laugh coming forth. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"They were smelly. You're clean. It's simple. No hidden agendas in this. Though," he sat up and grinned at him, "there definitely was in the shower part." With that, Tony pushed himself up off the bed, making his way toward the door. "I know the lines, Bruce. I'm not pushing."

Without a second thought, Bruce's hand shot out, grasping Tony and tugging him back to him, pulling the other flush up against him and grabbing his ass harshly, pushing his hips forward as he stared into Tony's eyes. "Push them sometimes, Tony. It's the only way we'll get anywhere in this." He groaned as he rubbed his hips against Tony's own, his cock starting to swell from the friction. Leaning in, he kissed him hard before maneuvering them onto the bed and straddling Tony's body. He fitted them against one another, his own naked form grinding down against Tony's mostly clothing-devoid body. 

Tony held no hesitation. He simply arched up toward Bruce and let him do as he well pleased. His own arousal boiled hot in his abdomen, his length hard within the course of a minute or so. He could feel Bruce, the way the other's muscles shifted as he moved, the way his cock pressed hot and heavy against Tony's own. And he could feel the desperation, falling off Bruce in waves. It was obvious how much he wanted this... how much he needed it just in the way he moved.

Bruce held himself up with one arm, the other meandering every inch of Tony's body he could reach as he labored over him. It was testing... definitely pushing a line he'd not pushed in a very long time. But he had already lost control today, he'd Hulked out for nearly two hours for the battle. The usual fear, the usual anger that boiled inside him was dissipated at least enough to let him do this. The only fear left was that he might change as he lost control, the very instant of his orgasm. That was the one he was afraid of. 

The atmosphere in the room quickly shifted, the half-innocence of what had been going on fading away into sheer desperation. Even when Tony wriggled his boxers down enough to press his cock right up against Bruce's own, neither of them stopped. If anything, it egged Bruce on, his hips snapping harder, faster... his breathing labored and his entire body the portrait of pure need. 

Tony finally fully gave in, reaching for Bruce's ass, grasping the firm muscular structure and thrusting up to meet each and every movement Bruce made. They moved in a way that was born from knowing one another on a deeper level than simply physical. Each breath, each groan was a sign, a clear discussion without words. This felt great and that didn't. This was exactly what was needed and yes, more of that was exactly what was going to set one or the other of them off.

Bruce leaned down over Tony, pressing skin-to-skin, his hips grinding down hard and then starting to snap quickly. He buried his face in Tony's hair, letting out the loudest groan yet, his heart pounding in his chest. It was risky, it was dangerous on every single level, but it was something he desperately needed and he was going for it no matter the threat.

Tony arched with him, whispering out stunted words of encouragement, voicing his desire to feel Bruce lose it, that no matter what, it would all be okay. And then, "Bruce... please."

That was what it took, a shudder rippled through Bruce's body, his hips snapping hard the last few times, his cock sliding right along Tony's rigid length. And then it was happening. He curled toward Tony even more, his hips stilling, his cock aligned right along top of Tony's own as he came. Thick spurts of his cum spilled between them, sweet relief flooding his body. The seconds ticked past as he waited on it, waited on the worst thing possible to happen. But it never came to fruition. Instead, he felt like all of that side of him had been drained, left to sit in the corner while he enjoyed this moment purely as himself.

When he was certain nothing was going to happen, he shifted back enough to reach down and grasp Tony's cock, slick with his cum, and began to stroke him. "Your turn, Mr. Badass."

Tony breathed out a laugh at the nickname, flopping one arm over his head, the other resting on Bruce's hip, drawing little circles there as he allowed Bruce to bring him back up the ramp toward his own end. It wasn't going to take long this time, the feeling of Bruce's orgasm, the way the other had tensed and the sense of both thrilling, adrenaline-inducing fear and intense sexual need had been nearly enough to drive him over the edge the first time.

Thrusting up into Bruce's hand, Tony grasped his own hair, pulling as he strained, his muscles tensing, his belly quivering as he aimed for his own end. When it happened, he didn't even try to stop the cry that issued forth. His cock pulsed beneath Bruce's skilled fingers, his own cum mixing with the creamy mess already strewn across his belly. Slowly, he relaxed down onto the bed, breathing hard, but sated, his face giving away just how good it had been for him in the end.

Bruce eased himself off Tony, reaching for his discarded towel and first wiping his dick and then Tony's length and abdomen clean. Stretching out beside him, he rested a lazy hand on his hip. "You know what I could go for right about now?"

"Hmm?" Tony breathed out, his eyelids already fluttering closed. Pepper had once accused him of this being one of his worst faults. 

"A nap," Bruce murmured, reaching for the pillows and dragging them down, tucking one under Tony's head and then one under his own, pushing one leg over Tony's and closing his eyes. 

Tony let out a little laugh. Fault or not... it was just one more thing he and Bruce shared. And it was glorious.

**The End**


End file.
